Flexible exhaust line joint



Aug. 7, 1945'. L; B. ALIEN Em. 2,381,426

FLEXIBLE EXHAUST LINE' JOINT Filed Nov. 18, 1942 412" 24a 25221] J4 n KVz5 ,227/

Bv Y Y v I u agito-mayo y Patented `A\1g. `7l, 1.945 y v 7 A I I UNITED STATES P.A'111111 *OFFICE f Y Y .Y l n Y r'2",3s1,426'j 'n l vl i c y FLEXIBLE EXHAUs'rLINE'JorN'r g, y Leonard B. v:Allein San DegofrandWilliam Cf' i f Heath,=La Mesa, Calif., Vassignors to Solar Airf f craft Company, San Diego, Calif., a corporation of California Application November 18, 1942, Serial No. 466,022

Y solaima (crass- 91) Y l l This invention relates to flexible joints Vfor use l long periods of time with practically no l*mainin linescarrying fluids at elevated temperatures, tenance and` veryv infrequent replacement.' VIn andis particularly useful ink exhaust lines of airaddition to the sudden temperature changes craft engines; Y. which result when the engine vis started and The broad' object of the invention is-to provide stopped, the temperature varies during flight a lightweightexible joint which is capable ofV withvariations in the power demand on the'enoperating under elevated temperatures vfor veryy gine and with variations of temperature and hulongfperiods Without leakage. or` breakdown remidityr of the air through which the aircraft is Another object is to provide a Ajoint lwhich* is 10 The prior art structures which appear'toj be the relatively inexpensive and ca nfbe constructed most successful have utilized-ball and 'socket without'the use' of highly specialized machinery. joints in which either a. closeness of fit or van -It is frequently necessary in modern' airplane expansible packing ring of solidconstruction was design to provide flexible joints. in the'exhaust relied upon to prevent leakage. vNo such strucmanifold to provide `for lrelative rmovement. re- 15 tures have to our knowledge met the life requiresulting from engine/vibration. Flexible joints of ments which are desired.' Y v the ball and socket type have ybeen long known The present inventionxdiffers essentially from in otherarts, but when the known structures of A all prior exhaust line'joints ofthe ball andsocket this type ,were applied tothe exhaust Vlines of type in employing an'e'quatorial resilient packing aircraft engines theywere found' to" have rela- 20 between the ball and socket, with cooperating tively short life fbecause ofthe extremeY temperaspherical bearing surfaces on the ball and socket tures and vibrations encountered. 0f recent in zones on both sides ofthe packing.v The in'- years numerous designers have "created special 'entionalso contemplates a particular combinaexible joint structures," for use on aircraft en- ,tf Of 4lll'a'atterialsfor the ball and socket surfaces, gines, which areintended to withstand these se- "w'itlf'a `special resilient packing. Suitable surf vere temperaturey iand yvibration conditions. 'f Vaces'arehardvchromium plating against' stain- However, `to the vbest of .ourknowl'ed'ga none of v 'sssteelfandfa'suitable packing is made'gof fine these recently suggested'modifcations of theol wiresfwov'en of inconel compacted together, by y ball and socket'strctures has provedgsatisfactor frolling,'-into a,i desired shape. The bestiof themhas hadto be `replaced after The manner ,inwhich ther aforelisted objects, approximately 200 hours' of service because `vof together withother more specific objects and feawearleaka'ge, and, insome c as'es, seizure of the y tures of theinvention, are achievedy will row be wearing surfaces. u explained bydescribing indetail certain preferred 1 To Vrealize the severity kof the service conditions f embodimentsfo'f the invention as illustrated in to winch these flemme joints" areV exposed, it must 35 the drawing, in which,

be recognized that they must accommodate vii- Figure A1 is a side elevationiwith parts broken brations ranging upward from 30vcycles persecaway of one embodimentof double ball and socket ond, with amplitudes of movement of from .005 joint in accordancevwith the invention;

to .,'015 inch. Furthermore, the temperature of i Figure2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the structure ranges from 900 F. up to in some 40 a modified structure; and' cases 1800 F. When the engine isrstarted on Fig. 3 is a View vsimilar to the View of Fig. 1

the ground, the exhaust structure heats very rap-' v but showingstill a kthird. modified structure. vidly probably non-uniformly. VvConversely, The joint of Fig'-, 1 is adapted to provide lim- 1 when the aircraft alights on the ground in any fed, 1`d611-9firelatve movement in'all` directemperature from that of .the'Arcti' 'regions to 45 tions between two p1pesect1ons In and It, respecthat of the tropics, the exhaustsysteni structure tlvely, .by means ofgtWO ballv and SOCket JOlnS l2 is abruptly cooled.` vIt is apparent that such vioand, 1.3,] espectiwly, r and a telescoping sleeve lenttemperature variations .produce relatively 30ml? Y, w large expansions .and contractionsinthe exhaust VYThe J0 Ill?,A GQmDIlSeS an internal ball memstructures, which'are preferably of sheet metal 50 ber-l5 On'the end-of the `pipe section I0 (prefer- Abecause of, weight considerations, In order Vto ably'frmed' iiflteglallytherewi-th), and a socketv .properly `f'uliill their functions, flexible joints mmber I6 formed on-rthe' endY oia'v sleeve 'lift must maintain ktheir tightnessv at all altitudes Which formsone telescoping member of the teleand temperatures and under all conditions of viscoping joint I4.. Theother ,member of the telebration,v and should remainin this condition'over 55 scoping joint comprises a sleevel `tting over the sleeve I'I and having formed on its right end the ball member I9 of the joint I3. Ball member I8 cooperates with a socket memberV 20 formed on the left end of the pipe section I I.

The two joints I2 and I3 are identical in construction, each having its socket member expanded into a bell end for receiving a ilexible packing 2I which is maintained in position by an vannular ring. 22 positioned between thebellend portion 23 of each socket and the associated ball I or I9, as the case may be. The rings 22 have cylindrical outer surfaces to fit against the cylinrotation contributes greatly to the wear of the parts and shortens their life. The fact that such free rotation is prevented by the packing 2l in the present instance is believed to contribute substantially to the service life of the joint.

The inconel packing appears .to be peculiarly suited for use in flexible joints for airplane exdrical inner surfaces of the bell ends 23, while their inner surfaces are spherical to'flt against the associated ball. Each ring 22 is held in posidrawn for inspection or replacement of the pack- In the joint of Fig. 1 there is also provided a packing 28 to effect a seal between the sleeves I1 and I8. The packing 26 is held in an inwardly facing annular trough 21 secured to the outer sleeve I8 so that the packing 28 extends inwardly past the end of the sleeve I8 into contact with the inner sleeve I'I.

Thematerial and finish of the contacting sur-r faces, together with the,packingv material, are important features o f oui` invention. We have found that the joint stands up exceptionally well when the sheet metal employed is a-stainless steel, the inner surfaces of the-sockets are hard chromium plated, the rings `22 are of meehanite containing 22% nickel, and the packing material is made of fine wires woven of inconel and rolled; into shape toffit in the spaces provided therefor, as shown in Fig. l. ylurthermorejthe hard chromium plated inside surfaces of the socket members I6 -and 20 and of the external sleeve I8 should be polishedV t0 a mirror surface, and the outer surfaces of the stainless steel ball members `I5 and I9 and of the internal sleeve I1 should be polished, at least to that degree known as a brush polish40 micro inches R. M. S.`

It has been found preferableV to make the overlap between Vthe balls andl the sockets from 0.3 to 0.5 of .the mean diameter of the balls, and to make the width of the packing contact surface from 0.3 to 0.4Fof the total width of overlap. 1

It is found by experience that the (radial) clearance between the ball and the socket should be between .009 and .021 inch.

The packing 2| appears to have the important function of not only reducing gas leakage at the joint but of providing suiicient permanent frictional resistance between Ithe ball and socket to haust lines. Joints inspected at the end of 300 hours of service show the inconel packing in very good condition, with no apparent loss of elasticity.

The joint structure shown inY Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 in -that the construction has been simplified and made lighter in weight, although .the packing must ibe inserted at the time of manufacture. It also differsin detail from the structure of Fig. 1 in that the receptaclesfor the packing are formed in the ball surfaces instead of the socket surfaces. Thus the ball member I5-a has an annular groove 30 rolled therein, which contains the packing 2I-a. Furthermore, the sleeve packing 26--a is held in an annular trough formed in the end portion' of the external sleeve member I8-a. In Ithe construction of Fig. 2, the sockets lli-av and 20-a are shaped over the packing 2I-a and the associated ball I5-a or IS-a by swaging. Inthis instance the outer surfaces of the balls I5-a and* I8-a are chromium plated and mirror polished and the inner surfaces of the sockets IS-a and 2li-a are brush polished.

The trough or groove' 30 in the ball IS-a is 4preferably made of 'slightly larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the internal sleeve II-a to permit movement of the sleeve past the groove, if necessary.

The joint structure shown in Fig. 3 is identical with that shown in Fig. 2 except that the inconel packing between the external sleeve I8-b andthe internal sleeve I`I--b has been eliminated, and a metal rubbing sleeveV 32 has been insertedfbetween the two sleeves and Welded to the external sleeve I8--bp This construction has been found to be permissible in practice by virtue of the fact that the rubbing sleeve `32 provides a relatively large area of sliding contact with the internal sleevev I'I-b. A large portion of the sliding contact occurs within the ball member I9-b,

v so that the overall length of the joint can be prevent relative rotation therebetween. Thus it has been` found by experiment that in many double ball and socket joints 0f the type shown in Fig. 1,7where there is no flexible packing material such as lthe packing 2l, although the pipe sections I0 and II are restrained against rotation believed that' this unnecessary and undesirable made relatively small. vThe internal surface of the rubbing sleeve 32l is chromium plated and mirror polished, and works against a brush'polished surface on the exterior of the stainless steel sleeve I1-b. The telescoping sleeve portions of the joint of Fig. 3 have been found to have a long life in actual test, and thislong life is believed to be due very largely to the fact that the inconel packing 2I-b in the associated ball and socket joints prevents the sleeve members from rotating relative to the pipe sections III-b and II--b and relative to each other in response to engine vibration.

Compositions of stainless steel that give good results are known in the trade as: type 321 having 18% chromium and 10% nickel; type 321 having l8% chromium and 8% nickel; type 347 having 18% chromium and 10% nickel; type 309S-Ti having 25% chromium and 12% nickel. Other materials that may be employed in place of stainless steel are: inconel; Hastelloy C; K -42-B; and Konal.

As a substitute for chromium as the plating material, there may be employed rhodium or nickel. I

As a substitute for inconel packing, there may tbe employe-d nickel or alloys of .gold and silver,Y

or gold and iridium. Y

Important characteristics of all the base materials employable are: They donot scale below 1600"' F. and are relatively resistant to .scaling above that temperature; they have a tensile ..strength inexcess of 45,000 lb./in.2 at 1200 F.

Y Important characteristics of the plating material are that it wear well at high temperatures andv be free from' tendency to gall or seize with peratures. Y

Important characteristics of the packing material are that itrbe woven from fine wire of a metal or alloy that is oxidation resistant at high temperatures and also relatively harder and more wear resistant than the surface against which '1 itrrubs. The wire from which the packing is woven should be from .010 to .025 inch diameter Yscr it is apparent that the metal or alloy employed l must have good drawing properties.

For-the purpose of explaining the invention,

described in detail, but changes from the exact structure shown will be obvious to those skilled in the art andthe invention is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

We claim: 1. Aexible joint for the exhaust line of an internal combustion engine, said joint comprising first and Vsecond aligned conduit members f having ballV end portions at their near ends, rst

` portions of the two nested ball portions, said f sleeve membersYY being in free floating relation to said'conduit members andhaving a free sliding ilt with each other, one of each pair of nested ball portions having an equatorial groove for i holding said annular packing member in rubbing relation with the other ball portion of the pair,

' and said annular packingmember comprising resilient material compressed between the nested ball portions, whereby it functions as a seal and provides frictional resistance to fortuitous rotation of saidsleeve members with respect to said conduit members.

f 2. A joint as described in claim 1v in which the packingmember comprises a compact mass including a fine, lamentary, corrosion-resistant metallic material that is harder than the ball portion it rubs against.

Vthe cooperating bearing material at high temy tion of which is substantially cylindrical, a resilient packing with the innerpart of said bellV 'certain-specific embodiments thereof'have been 3. A joint as described in claim l ln which the l Vpacking member comprises a compact mass including a fine, filamentary, corrosion-resistant metallic material and in which said material and the surface of the grooved ball portion holding Vthe'packing are both harderthan the vnestingball portion against which the packing rubs.

4. A ilexible joint for the exhaust line of an internal combustion engine of an aircraft, comprising a pair of thin sheet conduit members havingy nested'end portions constituting a ball and socket joint, in which the socket member of the joint comprises a first portion of one of said conduit members in the shape of a zone of a sphere, surmounted by a bell end, the outer porend portion'and a ller ring within the cylindrical' outer portion of said bell end, said filler ring having an outer cylindrical surface slidably fitting within said cylindrical portion of said bell end and having an inner spherical surface to t against the outer surface of the ball member of said joint,` and means for detachably securing said filler ring in any one of a plurality of longitudinal positions within said bell end, said ller ring and bell end portion together defining an internal equatorial annular groove in the socket member of said joint for containing said packing. 5. A flexible joint for the exhaust line rof an vinternal combustion engine oan aircraft, comprising a pair of thin sheet conduit members having nested endY portions constituting a ball and socket joint, in which the socket member of the joint comprisesa first portion of one of said conduit members in the shape of a zone of a sphere, surmounted by a bell end, the outer portion of which is substantially cylindrical, a 'resilient' packingwithin the inner part of said bell end portion and a filler ring within the cylindrical outer portion of said bell end, said filler ring havl ing an outer cylindrical surface slidably fitting within said cylindrical portion of said bell end and having an inner spherical surface to fit against the outer surface of the ball member of .said joint, and means for detachably securing said ller ring in any one of a plurality of longitudinal positions within said bell end, said ller k ring and bell end portion together dening an ,internal equatorial annular groove in the socket member Aof said joint for containing saidkpacking, said means for detachably securing said 1111er ring comprising slots in the cylindrical portion'oi' said bell end, and screw means extending through Y said slots for clamping said'ring to said bell end in any one of a plurality of longitudinal positions for adjustment of the t between the ball and socket'members.

LEONARD B. ALLEN. WILLIAM (2.v IEATH. 

